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The Warriors, the defending NSIC champions, lost to Upper Iowa 9-6 in a back-and-fourth battle at the Pete Chapman Complex.
It was a 6-6 game heading into the ninth inning, before the Peacocks put up three runs, all with two outs, to seal it. The big hit was a two-run double by Jarrod Esquibel, who was 3-for-4.
“We battled,” WSU coach Kyle Poock said. “They just did a better job at the end.”
WSU (21-21) got out to a 3-1 lead after the second inning, but the Peacocks (30-25) answered back with three runs in the top of the third to go up.
Mike Wendland didn’t let that last long, leading off the bottom of the third with a solo home run.
Upper Iowa got the lead back in the fourth and then went up 6-4 in the seventh, before the Warriors answered the call.
After WSU grounded out on its first two at-bats, Joe Kley and Ross Hellenbrand started the eighth-inning rally with back-to-back singles. Mike Brabender did the damage after that with a two-run double to right field, before Upper Iowa’s ninth-inning heroics.
Donny Erdall entered the game for WSU in the third inning and pitched the rest of the way. He struck out nine and walked three in seven innings, but gave up 11 hits and five earned runs.
Bryan Ruff started the game but was tagged for three runs in two-plus innings. Ruff had battled tendonitis in his throwing shoulder late in the season and was lifted when it became apparent the shoulder pain was flaring up.
Ronnie Olson, Hellenbrand, Sam Henriksen and Brabender all had two hits. Brabender had three RBIs.
“We had a young team, so things look good for the future,” Poock said.
Track and Field
MIAC Championships
ST. PAUL, Minn. — On the men’s side, Saint Mary’s University’s Chris Fisette finished third in the triple jump with a distance of 13.36 meters. SMU is ninth out of 12 teams.
On the women’s side, SMU’s Teri Heinzen finished second in the 100 meter dash with a time of 12.81 seconds. SMU is 12th out of 12 teams.
